Four Ways to Cut Your Auto Insurance

 Auto insurance rates are rising all of the time, much to the displeasure of motorists everywhere. If you are one of the many people who are concerned about having to pay more and more money out to your insurance company to insure your motor vehicle then you need to look for effective ways to either reduce the money you spend or minimize the increases to your policy. Here we look at four ways to make your auto insurance experience not quite so stressful on your psyche and your bank account!  

One: Insure more than one car and/or more than vehicle at once.

Insuring a single car can end up costing you more money at a given insurance company than can insuring more than one vehicle that you own at once. The same can be said for insuring drivers. In this instance the more the merrier! The reason for this is because most insurance providers will offer their customers a bulk rate to encourage more business to come their way.

To find out if you qualify for a deal or discount such as this ask your insurance company or the agent you deal with to find out if you qualify. From there you can obtain a quote and can decide if it is worthwhile for you. In most instances multiple drivers on a policy must reside at the same address and must either be related by marriage or be blood relatives. However there are exceptions to this rule.

Two: Remain as squeaky clean as possible.

A clean driving record with as few moving violations, speeding tickets or accidents as possible will work in your favor. The more of these issues that you have on your record the higher will your annual premiums be. Everyone who drives has points on their record. Your points go up with every moving violation you encounter. In most cases the more points you have the more you will have to pay on your annual premiums. 

Three: Sign up for a defensive driving course.

There are plenty of insurance companies that look favorably upon those drivers that take the time to take an approved (in other words, accredited) defensive driving course. This can help to bring down your rates because it renders you less of a risk when you get in your car. As well there are cases in which such a course (or also an accident prevention course) can serve to reduce the number of points that have built up on the individual’s license.

Find out whether your insurance provider offers deal or discounts for such a course before you sign up for it. While this type of course is always good in terms of your driving education if it does not translate to savings on your insurance policy then it may not be worth it to you.  

Four: Browse and shop until you drop!

Just as you browse and shop for a new pair or shoes or a new television the same should be said for an auto insurance plan. If you have renewed your insurance policy and now the annual premium has gone up drastically then it is time for you to start shopping around. Obtain quotes from some other companies. Healthy competition amongst auto insurers is a good thing. But bear in mind that the cheapest quote from a company does not mean that you should automatically switch your car insurance over to them. Consider the credit worthiness of the insurance provider as well before making a final decision.   

  Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net
  Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

More Simple Cleaning Tips that Embrace Frugality in Your Home

Ready for some more help around your house when it comes to your household chores? 

In the kitchen sprinkle oven stains immediately with salt after cooking and then once the oven has cooled down, whisk and wipe. Place a tray of water on the bottom rack of your oven when broiling meat to ensure that the meat drippings will fall into the water and not on the oven. 

If you want to reduce odors in your refrigerator- and who doesn’t? - then here are some things you can try. The first thing you can do is to cut a lemon in half, hollow out one side of it and then fill it with either baking soda or salt (both work well in this regard) and place it on a shelf in the refrigerator. The soda or salt will absorb odors while the lemon will give off a pleasant scent. 

The second cleaning tip is to use two charcoal briquettes in the refrigerator. Charcoal briquettes are a highly effective and inexpensive deodorizer that can also be used in other places throughout your residence.

If your dishcloth needs to be disinfected right away then don’t worry- toss it into the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds and it is good to go! This helps to kill germs ASAP!  

Your carpeting needs attention too and could use a dash of frugality. To brighten your carpets sprinkle them with salt an hour before vacuuming. Ordinary table salt or sea salt both work well. 

To remove grease spots from your carpet sprinkle with baking soda or cornmeal and brush lightly. Leave it to absorb into the carpet overnight and then vacuum in the morning.  

If your carpet or upholstery has wax or crayon on it then place brown paper over the stain and press with a warm iron. The brown paper will absorb the wax and make it possible for it to be removed. 

 

During the winter season salt from the outdoors can damage the carpets in your home. To get rid of the salt combine equal parts white vinegar and water and give it a good cleaning. 

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Simple Cleaning Tips that Embrace Frugality in Your Home

If you think that you know all there is to know about keeping your home as clean as it can be then you need to think again. There are some simple and cleaning tips for your home that you will know about once you finish reading this! They are easy to do and they cost next to nothing.

White vinegar is a cost savvy and natural ingredient that is the queen of cleaning supplies. In fact it is one of the cheapest and most beneficial cleaners you will ever need. For example, white vinegar is an amazing deodorizer. Eliminate odors caused by cooking by adding one tablespoon of white vinegar to one cup of water and then boil it to get rid of the unpleasant smell. 

Eliminating the smell of smoke in a room can also be accomplished by using white vinegar. All you need to do is place a small bowl of in in a room and let it sit. In no time at all the vinegar will absorb the smoke odor and the room will smell fresh again. This also applies to rooms where painting is taking place. 

Vinegar also works well for clothing. If you have garments that are smelly or greasy then add white vinegar to the wash to cut down on the grease and/or to do away with the odor. Rubbing washables lightly with white vinegar to remove anti-perspirant and deodorant stains and then laundering them as usual can do wonders. Add approximately one cup of white vinegar in your last rinse cycle to ensure that your clothing gets a thorough rinsing. 

White vinegar also makes it possible to eliminate undissolved lint and detergent in a washing machine. Pour one cup of vinegar into the bottom of the washing machine tub and then run it through the normal cycle without clothes using the hot water setting. 

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net